An Autumn Picnic 1 of 3: Spiced Cider and Sticky Chilli Sausages

Who doesn’t love a picnic? The optimum picnic is of course one where the sun is shining, the birds are singing and everyone has some food that they enjoy. This perfection can normally successfully be achieved in summer where there are lower risks of rain, wind and cold. However, that’s not to say you can’t have a picnic in the autumn; as long as you’re a bit clever with what you make.

The idea of this autumn picnic is to encourage you to embrace the outdoors even when you might think outside entertainment is over. In the next three posts I’ll be showing you the recipes I created to keep everyone warm and fed on a blustery afternoon adventure. I did actually make this picnic outside; you can find some pictures of it on my Facebook page, and everything I needed for it fit into a picnic set and one other small bag (two saucepans and some foil). The only additional piece of equipment you need is a BBQ or stove; both to cook the food on and to warm your hands and guests.

To kick the picnic off to a good start I made some spiced cider. The reason for this was twofold; it’s a marriage made in heaven when mixed with cinnamon and I thought if my guests drunk a little cider they might get their cider jacket on and forget it’s cold.When the BBQ is good and hot, put the cider into a saucepan and add a few cloves, a stick of cinnamon and some star anise. Keep on the heat until lovely and warm and then pour into cups and warm up your hands and your insides.

I’m not sure a picnic can really be a picnic if there aren’t sausages of some sort; Scotch eggs, sausage rolls or cold sausages are essential picnic food. I am not that keen on cold sausages and biting into a flabby sausage with a bitter wind blowing in your face does not for merriment make.

Get your other pan onto the BBQ and add the cold sausages. Warm them up and then pour in a good measure of chilli sauce; I had a yellow chilli sauce which was sweet and spicy. Let the sausages bubble away in the chilli sauce until the sauce has reduced a little and turned almost jam like. Take off the heat and dig in.

Getting a few friends together sipping on warm spiced cider can make you forget that it’s autumn; if you ignore all the gloves and bobble hats. Throw some sticky chilli sausages in which are so hot you might burn your mouth and it makes for an entirely different picnic experience. This was only the start of the picnic, there’s still the main course and dessert to go!

hi carol, wished that i cld experince picnic in autumn. Just saw the photos, looks like the wind was really strong. The spiced cider sounds like a very good idea, im sure everyone had a wonderful time at the picnic.

Oh wow, what a great idea. My dad used to take us to the beach in the autumn and winter, build a fire and fry sausages in a pan on it. They were always the best tasting sausages. Love your sticky glaze and spiced cider sounds just the thing.